In Pursuit of Salvation
by MollyNK
Summary: Stripped of his powers, Loki is sent to Earth as punishment for his transgressions. Forced to study the history of humanity, can he find the redemption he so desperately needs? Loki/OFC. Pre-Thor 2. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey everyone! Here's my first fanfiction that is an actual story. I hope you enjoy. Be forewarned that later on the story will be rated M but I have no wish whatsoever to let y'all no which chapters are rated M so just read responsibly, k? Also, I am right in the middle of finals so the 2nd chapter may be a little bit in the making. Enjoy!

Thank you to my wonderful beta ramblin_rogue. She is amazing and I grovel at her feet.

* * *

Two months. That's how long Loki had been languishing in his prison cell. There had been no punishment forthcoming as of yet, but he knew it had to be soon. He had heard the guards whispering of a great meeting among the upper echelon of the Æsir. A meeting on such a scale had not been held since the war with the Frost Giants. It could have only been about his actions on Midgard.

To be sure, his actions were held much in contempt by his fellow Asgardians. They would want some sort of reparation. Some atonement for his _sins_. Why not? He had nearly destroyed New York City, taken over Midgard, and made a fool of their beloved Prince Thor.

_Thor_.

There was a complicated relationship if there ever was one. As close as two brothers could be having learned, grown up, and fought side by side – until the day it all changed when he learned he was not of Asgard. Jealousy and doubt, the quiet yet constant companions of his childhood, had started to speak their minds with a vengeance. The years of petty and unfair comparisons, his seeming inability to ever please Odin, screamed for attention. In the end, he fought his own brother. Yet brothers they had never been and would never be.

And then there had been the Tesseract and the Other promising him glory and power beyond his dreams. How could he say no? He couldn't. Loki had controlled the simple human minds with the Tesseract. It had never occurred to him that he was being controlled to a degree as well. And yet, when that ridiculous green monster had smashed him into the ground, it was as if his mind had cleared. The rage and desire for power were still there but understanding for what he had done to Thor became full realization. _My one regret._ Why else would he have given up so easily?

He was brought back to Asgard, powers bound by the manacles about his wrists and silenced by the mouth guard he was forced to wear at all times. He had been left to contemplate in a cell in the dungeons and here he was now, brought down to listening to the guards gossiping outside his door.

Therefore, it wasn't a great surprise when that day, a contingent of six fully-armed guards came to his cell. One of them withdrew a key ring from his belt and unlocked the iron door. "You are to come with us, Loki. Your presence is commanded by the All-Father."

Loki blinked slowly up at the guard that had spoken and the man visibly swallowed. _The fool insulted him by withholding his rightful title. The least he could do was cause him some discomfort._ _What would it be worth to refuse though? Who would be sent down to fetch him then? As if he could be "fetched" like some common animal, the palace pet. _The guards shifted uncomfortably, their armor creaking, for a long moment until Loki stood from his stool, the only seat other than the narrow cot in his cell and gestured with his shackled hands. The guards relaxed at his seeming acquiescence. He could not speak because of the mouth guard but his meaning was clear. Lead the way.

The guards fell into step around him as they walked up out of the cool, dark dungeon and into the brightness of the palace. At the sight of Loki, the whispers and stares from the nobility came quick and cutting. _So the trial is to be public. No secrecy in my punishment. Hm. Odin wants to shame me. I suppose in Odin's mind it is fitting as I made no secret of my plans once I came out of hiding. He will want to break me. Let them do what they will. I will not shirk this and I will not bend._

He heard his name whispered with suspicion and condescension. "Murderer" was bandied about, as if no Asgardian had ever taken another life. But hearing "_frost giant_" made Loki's heart skip a beat and icy fire burn through his veins. Did they truly know his parentage? The next whispers he heard answered that question."Not Odin's son." _Oh, that hurt. How had that gotten out?_

Loki raised his chin as he and his escort continued through the palace toward the receiving room. He would not let them have the satisfaction of seeing him react. He was a prince twice over and no one could make him feel inferior.

Loki and his escort finally reached the receiving room and one of the guards pounded on the massive golden doors. The doors swung inward and a corridor of upper nobility was revealed. They were the ones who were _worthy_ of seeing his humiliation. Still, they no longer mattered, not as they once did. No, the ones who mattered now were at the head of the room. The guards fell back and it was there that he walked - alone.

Head held high, Loki walked the long aisle to the foot of the throne. His mother, Frigga, watched him with compassion. She, he could tell, would never stop loving him, no matter his actions. This truth had never left her eyes. Loki glanced to the left of the throne. Sif...well, no love lost there. She was equal parts subservient and manly: an ungodly mix for a woman. Beside her, the Warriors Three. There had been friendship there, once. Now, they all looked at him with hard, unforgiving eyes. Hatred was in every line of their bodies. To the right of the throne was Thor. There was the most important relationship he had, and it lay broken, perhaps beyond repair. Thor radiated hurt and still, bewilderment at what Loki had done. _My one regret._

The god sitting on the throne was another matter altogether.

"Loki!" Odin's voice filled the hall and commanded his attention. "You have been brought before us to be given your punishment for what was done in the realm of Midgard. You deliberately brought war and destruction on a peaceful civilization. You caused the deaths of many. You have brought sorrow and dishonor on my house."

Loki's eyes burned intensely at these last words. How he wished he could speak. _Sorrow and dishonor? Oh, __**father**__, you brought it upon yourself when you brought the spawn of a frost giant into your home. The lies and dishonor did not start with my tongue or my actions. I am not the only one skilled in lies and manipulation._

Odin stood, staff clutched in his hand, and continued. "For your crimes, Loki, you will be stripped of your powers." As Odin said this, the manacles on Loki's wrists disappeared. Loki flexed his hands and stared up at him, back rigid and forcing no reaction to the words just spoken. "Those manacles but bound your powers. You will no longer have them at all until you have earned redemption and forgiveness, be it 10 years or 10,000 years. You will be forced to live as a human." Odin paused, giving Loki the full might of his stare. "You will be a young scholar, studying the history of humanity. I hope you can see the justice and irony in this punishment for someone such as you to be forced to the menial task of studying human history. This race you tried to enslave will be your only redemption. You must learn from them and rectify your mistakes."

Loki's eyes widened at this. Forced to live among the lowly filth of Midgard? It truly was cruel.

"Furthermore, you will have no contact whatsoever with any other of the Nine Realms. You will be alone, an outcast." Odin lifted his head and surveyed the room. "Should anyone other than the realm of Midgard speak to the traitor Loki, they will be guilty of treason and banished."

With that, Odin raised his staff and pounded it into the ground. There was a flash of light and Loki was transported through a tunnel of pulsing blue and white light. Of all the trips Loki had taken through the Bifrost, none had been like this – a tumultuous whirlwind of light and color paired with a total inability to right himself. Though he knew the trip would be nearly instantaneous, the rush of emotions nearly blinded him. He felt a part of himself locked away, his magic severed and beyond his reach. It was a sickening feeling. Loki screwed his eyes shut and steeled himself against what was to come. He would not lose himself, not again. This would not be a repeat of the void. Magic or no, he would survive, thrive, and avenge himself.

With a great cacophony and sudden change in pressure that made his head ache dizzyingly, Loki fell from the Bifrost, landing hard enough on his stomach to knock the air from his lungs. He gasped, trying to regain breath and equilibrium as the room slowly stopped spinning around him. Taking in his new surroundings, he felt a strange feeling of discomfort from his newfound mortal body. The Bifrost had not been kind to his new skin; his muscles ached and his heart pounded like a hare's coursing through the brush. But he was a prince twice over and no magic of the All-Father could change that. He would not be prey and would turn this to his advantage as he always did.

Loki stood unsteadily and spread his arms_" _Banishment! A fool's errand and a fool's hope. What could Midgard possibly hope to teach me? Pathetic species, always so eager to please. Stripped of everything, I am still a GOD, a prince, and I will not be gelded. I am mischief. I am chaos."

"I am Loki."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, etc. so far. It means a lot to me. Here is the next chapter. It's a bit fillerish but it's needed. I hope you enjoy it

Thank you to my lovely beta ramblin_rogue who is pushing me to become a better writer.

* * *

"I am Loki."

The words seemed to reverberate in the air around him, vibrating with but a brief remnant of the power he once held. There was no reply but then again, Loki had not expected one. He sighed and dropped his arms, turning to survey his new surroundings.

He was in what appeared to be a living area filled with a couch, coffee table, and what he knew from his previous time on Midgard as a T.V. He could see a kitchen through the open archway. Cautiously he moved into it, opening cupboard doors and drawers. They were filled with various types of food and kitchen wares. _So I am not to be left on my own as Thor was. Still, it would appear I am expected to cook and clean for myself._

Loki shook his head in disgust and moved back in the living room. There were two doors leading out of the area. He opened the first and realized that it led outside. It was dark out and the only thing he could perceive was a street lined with houses, cars, and trees. _Tomorrow_, he decided_. I will explore the area tomorrow._

He shut the front door and crossed the room to the other door. Entering it, he quickly realized it was a bedroom. A bed, dresser, and mirror were all the furniture it contained. As he moved into the room, he glanced at the mirror and quickly did a double take. What he saw filled him with absolute horror.

"No. Oh, no." His eyes were still the cool green they had been on Asgard. However, his skin was no longer pale but lightly tanned. His features had been softened to make him look younger. But the most insulting of all - gone were his raven locks - in their place, curly blonde hair and a goatee.

Letting out a sound of pure rage, Loki smashed his fist into the mirror and it shattered. "This is a cold jest. As if being made mortal wasn't mortifying enough, I am expected to simply be another version of Thor. That will _not_ happen. This is unacceptable."

Still breathing heavily, Loki looked down and saw that he had cut his knuckles and the blood was flowing freely. Looking around for something to wrap his hand, he saw a sink through an open doorway. Walking inside he turned on the tap. He rinsed his cut knuckles and watched the blood swirl down the drain. _I must live as a mortal now. Look at me, bleeding, and I cannot even heal myself with magic. Can I die? If I were mortally wounded, would Odin save me?_ That thought gave him pause. _**Would**__Odin let me die?_

Cursing softly, Loki wrapped the towel that had been hanging up around his hand and went back out into the bedroom. Sitting on the bed, he kicked off his shoes, removed his clothing until he was only in his underclothes, and then lay back against the pillows. His body ached with a bone deep weariness and Loki shifted with discomfort.

_I sense mother's hand in this. Odin would have thrown me out with only the clothes on my back just as he had Thor. She must have intervened. _Loki allowed himself to think fondly of his mother, perhaps the only person he still truly cared for without reservation. He had been banished and yet she had stood by him: father's pride, the eldest, and mother's comfort, the youngest. _Tomorrow, I will be deal with this situation. This is mortal body is weak. I will take this one night to recuperate and then I must figure out how to deceive Odin into thinking I have redeemed myself. I will rest tonight though_

Loki slipped under the covers and grimaced. _These are truly abysmal sheets. Could they not have at least have gotten me silk? _Settling down with a sigh, he closed his eyes and slept.

* * *

The following morning found Loki sitting at his kitchen table with a man named Benjamin Florence. He had been awoken by a knocking on his front door early that morning. Dragging himself out of bed, Loki threw on slacks and a button-down shirt that he had found in a closet in the bedroom. Opening the door, the man had introduced himself as his financial advisor. _Damned if I know what that is._ He had also insisted that Loki's mother had sent him. _Well, my suspicions have been confirmed._ In the end, Loki had let him in to sate his curiosity, nothing more, he assured himself. And that was where they found themselves now, sitting opposite each other in the kitchen.

Loki wasn't quite sure what to make of this man his mother had supposedly sent, presumably as some sort of guide in this torturous adventure. Benjamin Florence was a short, middle-aged man with a slight rounded stomach. Loki's lips twitched with a hint of a sneer as he took in the poorly-fitting wire-framed glasses perched on the man's nose. The rest of the man's ensemble – plain tannish slacks and a plaid button-down shirt – show a disconcerting lack of style. He could only hope the man was more capable than his wardrobe suggested. Right now, he was sitting forward in his chair with his elbows on the table and Loki sighed softly at the poor table etiquette. He exuded casualness and congeniality and it discomfited to Loki to have such a person sitting at his table.

"I understand there is some difficulty with your family and that you are now living on your own." Benjamin spoke with a heavy accent and Loki had to strain to understand his thick speech. "Well that's quite alright, young man. These things do happen." He reached over and patted Loki's hand. Loki's stared at him in amazement. _The nerve of this man. He dares to touch me without my permission?_ Benjamin didn't notice Loki's annoyance in the slightest and continued speaking, if such language could be deemed such.

"You'll be going to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It's been open over a hundred years and has quite a proud history. It's my alma mater." He puffed out his chest and beamed. Loki fought down an urge to laugh at the man's feeble attempts to sing the praises and glorify the facility where he would be trapped for the interminable future. It would do no good to antagonize the man while there was still need of him.

"Your mother has had me arrange everything down to the letter. Your tuition is paid for in full, as is this fine apartment." _He calls this hovel "fine?" I am used to the splendor of Asgard. This apartment is beneath me._ "I have your class schedule here as well. I see that you're a history major. Well, that's a mighty fine profession. We always need people to keep the records, y'know."

At that, Loki held up a hand to cease Benjamin's ceaseless yammering. "Before we move on, I would like to know more about what I will be studying."

Benjamin looked at him over the rim of his glasses. "Didn't you pick your own classes?"

"I seem to have forgotten what I chose. Please remind me of what I will be studying." Loki tried not to show his frustration at this simple-minded human.

"Well, let's see now." Benjamin shuffled through his papers. "You'll be taking the Classical Art of Persuasion – that's got to do with ancient Greek and Roman speech and rhetoric and the like. Women in World History – that's pretty self-explanatory. My wife and I have raised us some strong young ladies. I hope you can see the worth in a strong woman, young man. Mythology – ain't it funny what people used to believe?" He chuckled.

_Oh, if only you knew_.

"Your last class will be History of World War II. Now that was a war worth fighting. I hope there's never another one like it." He paused for a moment as if in thought and then continued. "It seems you have a rather broad interest range. I commend you on that son. Most kids now-a-days stick with the easy stuff."

Loki blinked slowly at the compliment. Never before had his interests been deemed worthwhile. Interesting that a mere mortal would find the pursuit of knowledge a worthy endeavor where on Asgard, he had been deemed too bookish. "I have always been interested in the pursuit of learning, Mr. Florence. I would not stoop so low as to under stimulate my mind."

"Well good for you. I can see you're going places; that's for sure."

_This man is absurd. He has the most ridiculous accent and he refers to me in such familiar terms so flippantly. How can he be so familiar with someone he has just met? Are all humans like this? This human tendency towards over-familiarity may well drive me to madness._

"Yes, thank you, I'm sure, Mr. Florence. Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me?"

"Oh yes, yes. We're not quite done yet. I have your student ID card right here." He handed Loki a blue plastic card with a picture of Loki's new face on it. On it were a series of numbers as well as a name: Erik Delaney. _I suppose Loki would call too much attention to me. Ah, but this is maddening! What I would not give to be back in my own skin, with my own name and powers! _"You'll need to keep this card on you at all times when you're on campus. You use it for checking out books, paying for meals, and ID purposes. I also have all of your school books with me." He patted a bag on the floor by his chair. _Perhaps this would be interesting after all – - to be virtually unknown amongst these mortals. What mischief could Loki conceive?_

"Let's see. What else?" The odd little man patted his pockets as if looking for something he'd misplaced. "I have a list here you see. Right…last thing. While school and the apartment are paid for, you'll need to get a job."

At that, Loki surged to his feet? "Excuse me? Did I hear that correctly? _I_ will have to _work_ in a service position?"

Benjamin looked sternly up at him. "Well yes, Erik. Lots of students work their way through college. I'm sorry, but your mother was quite clear on this." Benjamin paused to clean away some spot on those hideous spectacles before continuing. "There will be no monetary support for things outside of school. You'll have to pay for food, clothing, and any other extracurricular activities you want to get up to. Your first month for food is covered but otherwise, you're on your own. You're lucky enough that we already have a job lined up for you." The look he shot Loki after relaying this information would have rivaled Frigga's. His mother had obviously chosen well.

_This man may seem soft but he obviously knows where he stands on issues and will not hesitate to enforce my mother's wishes. I will have to learn how to manipulate him. _Loki's nostrils flared and he breathed heavily, but he sat back down. "And what, pray tell, am I to do for my menial service?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"You'll be working in a used bookstore called The Space right on Tate Street. It's right smack in the middle of where all the students hang out. You'll love it."

Loki closed his eyes briefly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I suppose if one has to work, there could be worse places than a book shop. Still, I will not relish being forced to manual labor."

Benjamin smiled. "Oh, you'll do just fine! Before you know, you'll be loving your job and hanging out with all the cool kids."

Loki flashed a disdainful look at him. "I highly doubt that. _Now_, is that all?"

Benjamin pointedly ignored the look and stood up. "Yes, I do believe that is it. I'll be checking in every now and again. I get the feeling your mother is quite worried about you. I'll be reporting on how you're doing and all that. Oh, I forgot. Here's your cell phone and laptop." He handed Loki a black canvas satchel. "They're both in there and my number's already in the phone. If you need anything at all, just give me a buzz." He bent to retrieve his briefcase, waved, and stepped out the front door.

Loki stared at the bag in his hands and placed it on the table and pondered it. He had a little experience with technology from his last time on Midgard, but not much. _Obviously, I will need to get acquainted with these items._

Suddenly, a rage overcame Loki as the events of the day became reality and he slammed his fists on the table. _By all the Nine! That was a chore. I cannot believe the way that man behaved. He showed no respect whatsoever toward me._ He ran a hand through his hair and grimaced as soft curls tangled in his fingers. Those same long fingers drummed out a brief staccato beat on the table as he considered the influx of information the day had provided. _That course list seems an amusing one. No doubt I will learn something interesting even if the majority of the time I am quite bored. And a job? A job! I have never had to perform service work in my life and now I will have to serve humans. _Loki sneered. _We will see how yielding they find me._

Pushing his chair back and standing up, Loki deep muscle aches hit him full force. The ride through the vortex and his bodily transformation had not been kind to him. He swayed dangerously and grabbed at the back of the chair to steady himself as a sudden tiredness overcame him. Stumbling, Loki made his way back to the bedroom and fell down on the bed.

_This mortal body is pathetic and I am weak inside of it. This cannot continue. _So Loki thought as the well of blackness crashed in on him and dragged him back down into the darkness.


End file.
